By Ashley Erika O. Jose, Reporter
THE PHILIPPINES will likely see more cyberattacks as threat actors take advantage of increasing digitalization in the country, an official of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) said.
“The trend is [threat actors] are getting sophisticated. Attacks are increasing, even the technology is getting sophisticated with artificial intelligence. Attackers also use it… We observe that attackers are after personal identifiable information. They want data,” George P. Tardio, DICT’s Critical Infostructure Evaluation and Cybersecurity Standard Division head, told BusinessWorld on the sidelines of a cybersecurity forum on Tuesday.
Data exfiltration resulting from leaks is one of the top cybersecurity threats in the Philippines, Mr. Tardio said, along with malware and ransomware. “We can only prepare for this particular incident. Website defacement of government agencies is becoming common. These are the common cybersecurity threats now.”
Since last year, several government agencies and private companies in the Philippines have fallen victim to data breaches, including the DICT itself.
On Tuesday, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) committed to help the Philippines strengthen its critical information infrastructure (CII) to ensure a safe cyber landscape.
CII or Critical Infostructure are a collection of virtual and physical computer networks and data that the government considers essential, like public services and communications, energy, transportation, and financial services systems.
In February, JICA announced that it is working with the Philippines on a two-year work plan to educate and train Filipino experts on cybersecurity.
JICA recognizes the urgency to bolster the Philippines’ cybersecurity posture as cyberattacks are becoming a serious national issue, JICA Chief Representative to the Philippines Takema Sakamoto said.
“Cybersecurity is a rapidly growing concern for the Philippines and the entire world in line with the promotion of digital transformation. We can share our knowledge, experiences and lessons learned,” Mr. Sakamoto said.
The government must take drastic actions to ensure its agencies are protected against any breaches, Digital Pinoys Ronald B. Gustilo said in a Viber message.
“We have voiced this out before. The government needs to recognize that we are experiencing a cybersecurity crisis and urgent action from the government is needed. Investing in CII is a viable option now and we urge DICT to include this in their 2025 budget proposal,” Mr. Gustilo said.
“As long as there will be financial, status, political, or any other gain, global and local threat actors will continue their hacks. No system is unhackable. The DICT should definitely focus on CIIs first due to their strategic importance to the country’s economy, resources, and citizens,” Sam Jacoba, founding president of the National Association of Data Protection Officers, said in a Viber message.
